Moving South

We had a French flagged sail boat anchor extremely close to us last evening and could not influence them to move. This morning we got the anchor up, after some gritting of teeth, and had a few choice words to say to our unwanted neighbors. They must have had a rough night as they would not poke there heads out to see what all the commotion was about! Motor sailed to Roseau and took a mooring from Pancho but on examination the mooring was badly chafed just below the water so dropped it and took one from Sea Cat over near the now defunct Yacht Inn restaurant. Had Desmond take us into town so we could get some duty free gin, a few grocery items and veggies, and some KFC for dinner. Had planned to have lunch at the Fort Young Hotel but a Cruise Ship was in and all of the tables were full of boat people (drinking not eating). Next time will check the cruise ship schedule!

Off to Martinique in the morning.

Bobby

Fort Shirley

We had a nice hike into the Cabrits National Park yesterday (Friday) afternoon. We decided to hike the West Cabrits and look for some ruins that are shown on the trail map but that we could not locate the last time we were here. Hike up was nice, with it being unusually windy the past several days we were able to stay quite a bit cooler as we walked up to the top of the mountain. After we got to the top we were able to see out to the North and South of Prince Rupert Bay and thought we saw an Island Packet coming into the anchorage from the South (Kewaydin?).

We went off the trails and were able to find the ruins that we were looking for but they were not in very good shape. What was supposed to be old barracks and a hospital were now just some low rubble with a few areas where we could make out what had been a wall and then what looked like a cistern.

We hiked back down the mountain and back along the bay to where we had left our dinghy. Saw Kewaydin anchored and decided after a stop for an adult beverage that we would stop and say hi.

Hanging out - Prince Rupert Bay

We had given some thought to moving down to Roseau today but then decided to wait a few days. Friends on another Island Packet (Kewaydin) will be here tomorrow and seems we always cross paths but never spend any time in the same anchorage.

If the weather clears some today will go to Fort Shirley and do a long hike.

We anchored further South in the Bay this time and found that it really helps - Noise from Big Poppa's is a lot more tolerable and we do not have a constant influx of boats trying to anchor to close to us. Only one tried and I was able to force them off a bit with the flood light several nights ago.

Interior Dominica Tour

We arranged to do an inland tour with guide supreme and good friend Martin. Martin stopped by to pick us up at 0800 and then we picked up folks from two other boats before setting out on our trip through Carib Country to Spany Falls. We stopped along the way and had Johnny cakes and a rest stop before continuing up the new road connecting Roseau and the airport (road is still at best one lane wide along most of the route.





We got to the first of the two falls after a great road trip to the area. The falls are deep in the rain forest so as we got closer to the falls the humidity went up and the forest became darker.










After reaching the falls everyone had to go in for a swim to cool off. Cool it was, except that the area right under the falls seemed to be warmer! Lesley found the warm spot.










After reaching the second of the two falls Lesley and Martin ham it up in this group shot. John, Portland, Maine was having a great time as well.














One of the really amazing plants we saw on the hike.
A small flower that felt like porcelain














On the way back to Portsmouth we crossed out of
the rain forest and stopped at a nice swimming spot on the Layou River where we swam and then relaxed in a warm pool heated by volcanic activity, right on the river. A great day on a wonderful Island with a great friend.

Alexander von Humboldt

This photo - wikimedia.org

Today on our way South from Le Saintes to
Dominica we saw a large sailing barque with green sails. I thought that the flag might have been German so I hailed the North bound square rigger with Green sails - on my second try the skipper (helmsman) came back and I was able to determine that the vessel was German but could not understand the name. As soon as we anchored and were situated in Dominica we used Wiki and - A German ship originally built in 1906 as Reserve Sonderburg. She was operated throughout the North and Baltic Seas until being retired in 1986. Subsequently she was converted into a three masted barque by the German shipyard Motorwerke Bremerhaven and was re-launched in 1988 as Alexander von Humboldt.

Photo taken from Gra'inne, underway

15,000 Nautical Miles

I was checking the log today and noticed that we now have 15,000nm under the keel. Doesn't seem like we have covered that much distance. Time to change the oil on the Genset but will do that tomorrow. Lesley is making rye bread today and we will have Reubens and fried potatoes for dinner tonight.

Pictures from Tuesdays Walk

Caribbean hummingbird that has a very bright green patch on its head - took several quick pictures hoping that I would be able to get the green to come out.
(Male Antillean Crested Hummingbird?)










Large caterpillars - we first saw these in Grenada working on totally defoliating a Frangipani, then saw these yesterday.
















Another picture of the caterpillar.

Frangipani Hawkmoth (Pseudosphinx tetrio)

Chinook Winds!

We went for a walk in the hills above Deshaies yesterday on one of the first days we've had in several where we did not get persistent rain showers. After our walk we stopped in at a local place for lunch (was terrible but that is another story) and then came back to the boat. Mid afternoon the wind started howling down out of the mountains and we were seeing gusts of over 35 kts. Boats were dragging anchor and several looked like they were having trouble retrieving the anchors once they drug. Perhaps 5 boats just abandoned the anchorage and moved South - probably to Pigeon Island.

While we were watching the action in the anchorage I let out more chain and we stripped our side curtains, tied down the solar panel, and got the dinghy up, strapped and cross tied. Then we saw a medium size dinghy on the way in with one person aboard headed right into the wind. In slow motion the bow of the dinghy lifted up and flipped completely over on the driver. Some people in a Belgium flagged boat went to the rescue and were able to get the wayward dinghy under tow after having it flip 3 more times. The driver of the swamped dinghy swam in closer to another boat who then deployed a lifesling and reeled him in.

The winds continued for more than 3 hours before abating some and then overnight the winds died completely! People are now moving around in the anchorage trying to get closer to shore or perhaps in shallower water just in case we have a repeat this afternoon.

Harold, the bread man, did not stop in the evening to take bread and pastry orders - glad he stayed put.

Bread to go!

One of the really great things about Deshaies is that Harold comes around every afternoon and takes orders for bread and pastries and then delivers them promptly at between 6:30 - 7:00 the following morning (7:00 - 7:30 on weekends). We had to pass on the croissants for tomorrow but did order a baguette. I'm just a little bit worried that if we stay here much longer I might need a new wardrobe (shorts)!

Help from ashore

Two days ago when we got here and after we anchored and got situated and it was cocktail time I had a beer. It started raining and I rounded up the laptop, cruising guide, misc stuff, and my partially empty beer and took everything below. As I was laying the laptop on the NAV station I spilled a little beer on the NAV computer keyboard. Wiped everything up and no harm done - except the next morning keys started sticking. I got out the trusty spray cleaner and decided to clean the keyboard................ How do you spell MISTAKE. Anyway, the keyboard is dead and because I had a password on the NAV computer login we could not access it - sorry Charlie.

Went ashore this afternoon, between rain showers, and borrowed a French keyboard from Pelican (Internet Cafe and Customs terminal location in Deshaies, Guadeloupe) . They saved the day as I was able to remove the password at login and we now have access to NAV data again using only the mouse. I returned the keyboard and tried to pay them something for their trouble and they would not accept it. Nice people and we really appreciate the kind of people we have occasion to meet out here.

Hoping for a Green Flash - even after all of the rain we've had!

UPDATE: Yes, we had a nice green flash. The sun broke out from under the clouds just before the suns orb reached the horizon and we got a nice flash just as the sun dropped below the horizon.

Good Day?

I seem to recall someone saying that a bad day sailing was better than a good day at the office! This is probably the one exception.

This boat came into the anchorage off Deshaies last night right at dark with 8 people and a dog onboard.

Another Island Packet 350

We moved from Davis Bay to Jolly Harbor on Tuesday so that we could fuel up and get ready for our trip back to Guadeloupe on Wednesday. On our way into Jolly Harbor I saw another 350 anchored in Mosquito Cove. Once we finished fueling and running on shore errands I took the dinghy out to check out the other 350. The boat is Oberon (new owners Ian & Joanne). Had a nice visit and worked on the macerator and holding tank valves.

Ian and Joanne came over to our boat at 5pm and we had a great visit. Plan to spend some time with them next winter.

Trip over from Antigua was good - first half with large squalls in the area and light and variable winds. Wind then picked up and we had all the sails out on our way back to Guadeloupe. Arrived early afternoon and went in to clear in. Clearance in the French Islands is a thing of wonder. You go into typically an Internet Cafe or Pub and complete a single page electronic template. You then print the form, sign and the shop keeper stamps you in. No passports, no documentation, no fees!

Had another Green Flash last evening - this one very unusual as the flash was in an opening in a cloud layer just above the horizon!